The Ordinary’s Powder-to-Cream Acne Treatment Is Unique — & Actually Works

A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn’t quite remove all my mascara; the moisturizer too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it’s spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralizing gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk, and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I’m well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I’d tried before. It was a powder, for starters. 

The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot, and gently massage it in. You might be wondering, How does that work? On contact with the skin, the powder transforms into a cream, making application that bit easier. More on that later. 

As the name suggests, the star ingredient in The Ordinary’s new spot treatment is sulfur. Dr. Zainab Laftah, a consultant dermatologist, says this ingredient has heaps of benefits for breakouts: “Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral with keratolytic and antibacterial properties that helps exfoliate dead skin cells and reduce excess oil production,” she tells me. Keratolytic essentially means it helps break down and remove the outer layer of those dead skin cells. Dr. Laftah adds that sulfur is effective for treating mild acne by unclogging pores, reducing excess oil, and calming inflammation.

I’ve tried sulfur spot treatments before (we all know Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion), but most are combined with exfoliating acids that have been too harsh for my sensitive skin — triggering more redness and, eventually, peeling. According to The Ordinary, Sulfur 10% offers a “more gentle approach to targeting blemishes,” and the brand claims it’s ideal for those with sensitive skin. As someone with both, I saw this as a challenge.

Fortunately, Dr. Laftah tells me that sulfur is generally considered less potent than benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid — two popular spot-busting ingredients — which makes it more suitable for mild acne rather than moderate to severe cases. If you fall into the latter camp, she suggests those stronger ingredients might be a better fit. But if you only experience the occasional breakout, sulfur could be your best bet.

When I received this product last month, I had the largest and most painful breakout right in the middle of my nose. I never thought I’d say this, but it couldn’t have come at a better time — so I made a beeline for Sulfur 10%. The opening where the product dispenses is tiny, making it almost impossible to make a mess. I simply tapped a little onto my index finger, carefully brought it up to my nose, pressed it onto the spot, and gently massaged it in until the powder transformed into a cream and then disappeared. The trick is to rub it in — just tapping it on only goes so far. From personal experience, you really have to work the product in to see a real difference in redness and size. 

Almost immediately, the redness began to fade. Much like translucent powder — my go-to trick for minimizing the look of breakouts without concealer, which can appear cakey — The Ordinary says the smart formula helps absorb excess oil and reduce visible shine. In doing so, it kind of blurred the breakout, making it much less noticeable. The real magic happened after about an hour: I couldn’t feel the spot pulsating anymore, and when I looked at it from the side, it had visibly deflated.

The powder-to-cream feature is what makes this treatment unique. According to the brand, the formulation team combined powder and liquid at high speed to create “mini capsules” of water encased in the powder. When you press the powder onto your skin, the pressure breaks these capsules, releasing the sulfur directly into your skin. There’s no need to mix it with water or anything else to activate it. Genius, right?

The next day, a breakout appeared on my forehead, so I reached for Sulfur 10% again. Since the breakout was higher up on my face, it was a bit tricky to get the powder to the spot without half of it falling off my finger. Luckily, there’s an easy fix: I tap the product onto my index finger, then press it with my thumb to turn it into a cream before applying, making sure to massage it in properly. Again, I was blown away by the results. The spot shrank in about an hour and never turned into a whitehead, so I shelved my hydrocolloid spot patches. Interestingly, The Ordinary has done the math and claims that just one bottle of Sulfur 10% is equivalent to over 150 acne patches. Because it’s so discreet, you could easily take this on the go. Just make sure that your hands are clean before applying it to avoid spreading bacteria and aggravating breakouts further. 

Once I got the hang of applying it, the only downside for me was the slight eggy smell. “Yes, sulfur can have a strong, unpleasant odour,” Dr. Laftah confirms. I have a very sensitive nose and catch whiffs of it while wearing the treatment, but because it works so well, I can forgive it. Dr. Laftah also notes that some sulfur products may cause dryness, redness, or irritation for sensitive skin. Happily, I experienced none of those things — and my skin is very reactive. Honestly, I prefer sulfur to salicylic acid, which can dry my skin out when the concentration is too high.

At just $9.90, this is my affordable — and discreet — secret weapon for stopping breakouts before they erupt and cause scarring. I know a product is good when the experts are talking about it, too. I’ve even seen esthetician Alicia Lartey waxing lyrical about how it recently eradicated a spot for her. If it’s anything like the brand’s Salicylic Acid 2% Mask, another winner for acne-prone skin, I predict it’ll sell out fast.